Braid and method of making floor coverings therefrom



March 25 1924. L48Z86 R. B. KALBACH BRAID AND METHOD OF MAKING FLOOR COVERINGS THEREFROM Filed Jan. 12, 1925 5?" //W f/V 70/? ROW/72025673 yzziww'a fee Patented ar. 25, 1924.

TED ST' tamer RAYMOND B. KALBACH. OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA.

Application filed January 12, 1923. Serial No. 612,194..

braid and a fabric made there-from for use as a floor covering.

Practice dictates, in the formation of wool braid, that. frequently the surface strands do not entirely cover the core or stuffer yarn so, that, at intervals throughout the extent of the braid such core or stutter is more or less. exposed. Since for various reasons a cotton or other core or stut'fer cannot be substituted in the braid for one of wool, it is essential, in order to manufacture a floor covering for sale at a popular price, that, an inexpensive character of wool core or stuft'er be employed. If the core or staffer in the braid be of on'e'character of yarn and the filler yarns be of another character of yarn, obviously, in view of the facts stated as to core or staffer exposure, an 'unsatisfae tory fabric results. I have discovered that natural yarn. is most efficient for the pur poses desired. \Vhile natural yarn maybe obtained in different grades only two grades can be successfully employed commercially considered in the formation of my improved braid and fabric. These two grades of natural yarn are commercially known as common natural yarn and medium natural arn.

While I prefer to use medium natural yarn stuffers and surface strands in the formation of my braidand fabric I may, if desired. employ common natural 'wool stufl'crs and surface strands. Both commen" and medium yarn possess a natural color (taupe, tan or corn) and while either may be used I prefer the use of medium yarn as better results have been obtained therefrom in actual use. Both common and medium natural yarn is distinguished from other grades of commercial natural yarn by the fact, that, the former is possessed of a natural color (taupe, tan or corn). In all other commercial natural yarn should this natural color (taupe, tan. or ercu) be desired, it is necessary to dye the yarn which adds to the cost of'manufacture. I have further discovered. by employing either common or medium yarn, which is in its natural state and color, for both braid core and surface strands, that, While the resultant product may be sold at a popular price its appearance and wearing qualities are not affected. As a matter of fact the wearing qualities therefor are materially increased because of the non-soiling features characterized-by this yarn in its natural state and color (taupe, tan and corn) and its appearance is attractive. I have also discovered, 7 that, in addition to a solid background as obtained by the use of natural yarn in its natural state and color, braided fabrics having many attractive color schemes may be formed by adding one or more surface strands of dyed yarn- In either case there is effected a braided fabric having a natural yarn core and natural yarn fillers to form the major portion of the fabric so that the body or background is possessed of non-soiling characteristics. I have also discovered that wool braid of the character under consideration may be effectively used in making floor coverings by stitching the braid along adja cent edges with thread of a color matching the color of natural yarn (taupe, tan or corn). In this way the stitching is not readily noticeable and further does not readily soil being of the same color as the background of the floor covering.

The nature, characteristic features and scope of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1, is a view of a piece of braid manufactured in accordance with the present invention and illustrating black and white yarn braided in with the natural yarn.

Fig. 2, is a view illustrating said style of braid formed into a rug, and

Fig. 3, is a view of a piece of braid manufactured exclusively of natural yarn staffers and surface strands.

It will be understood that the braid itself is of novel form and may be ei'nployed for any desired purpose. However in p actice I employ the braid in a fabric for use as a floor covering and for illustrative purposes the following description will be restricted thereto.

I Referring now more especially to the preferred en'ibodiment of the invention, as most commonly practiced and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the color scheme or ornamentation is effected by braiding with natural yarn core and surface strands one or more additional surface strands which are of dyed yarn in contradistinction to natural color, taupe tan or ecru. In the floor covering selected for illustrative purposes an oval shaped rugis shown. Assuming for the sake of illustration that the color scheme selected is black and white, I take. two strands of natural yarn as a core or stutter, designated 10, a plurality of strands of the same character of natural yarn as surface strands, designated 11, a strand of white yarn 12 and a strand of black yarn 13. as additional surface strands and properly braid same together to provide a two-core, flat, all wool braid having a natural yarn core or stuffer and natural dyed yarn surface strandsof which the natural yarn dominates the dyed yarn. The natural yarncore or stutfer is comprised of two strands whichare not braided with the surface strands but pass through the length of the braid in parallclism. In other words, the surface strands are braided around the core. In other words the major portion of the braid is of natural yarn and forms a prominent body or background upon which the color scheme is more or less incidental. In forming an oval rug of the braid above described, preferably, a continuous strip thereof is coiled single ply comn'iencing at the rug center and adjacent edges are secured together by stitches preferably by zigzag or oversea'ming stitches it upon a sewing machine. The completed rug is reversible in form. The background of the rug being of a natural color taupe. tan or corn does not show dust and dirt and even if the dyed yarn becomes soiled, the general appearance of the rug is not thereby affected as would be the case if the entire rug was of dyedyarn. In other words the foundation of the fabric is of a color resembling that of earth and therefore does not readily soil. The dyed yarn when soiled by dust and dirt, therefore, does "not present an effect much different from the background. Another advantage resid s in the fact that since the background of arug or other tloor covering is of natural yarn it readily lends itself to varied treatment as to color scheme. Thus by braiding in with the natural yarn surface strands one or more wool surface strands of a desired color. a fabric may be readily and inexpensively manufactured to blend with a given style of interior decoration.

Assuming that it is desired to provide a braid having a solid body or background of natural yarn (taupe, tan or corn) as shown in Fig. 3, I take a plurality of strands of natural yarn and properly braid same thus providing a structure in which the core or stutter strands 10 and'surface strands 11 are of yarn possessed of characteristics in common. While the braiding of either of the above described braids may be accomplished by hand in practice I effect the same upon a machine suited for the purpose. During braid formation should the naturalyarn surface strands fail to entirely cover the natural yarn core or 'stufter, exposure of the core or stufier isnot detrimental to the appearance of the braid since the exposed parts are of the same material as the fillers. As a matter of fact the exposed core or stutter cannot bereadily detected. Since natural yarn is possessed of the same efiicient qualities as other commercial yarn and since the natural color (taupe, tan or corn) presents a good appearance b aided floor coverings may be manufactured for sale at'a popular price. .This is because natural yarn is less expensive than is dyed yarn. Also common and medium yarns cost less to produce than any of the other grades of natural yarn. In addition to its cheapness, natural yarn, clue to the natural color (taupe, tan or corn) ispossessed of non-soiling characteristics so that a floor covering made therefrom does not disclose signs of wear, even after prolonged use. The braid when formed is secured together by stitching adjacent edges by hand although in practice I effect same by overseaming or zigzag stitching upon a sewing machine. I prefer to use thread matching the color of natural yarn. If desired a floor covering having a solid, natural yarn body may be suitably decorated by means of hand painted designs. Any shape of floor covering may be manufactured. m

Common and medium natural yarn are both spun in grease. The grease may be removed by scouring. In making my improved braid and floor covering I prefer to use natural yarn, common or medium from which the grease has been scoured, although of course I may employ common .natural yarn or medium natural yarn and of which the remainder of the natural yarn and the dyed yarn serve as surface strands, all being braided together to provide a background of natural yarn regard-- less of any exposure of the core or stufler, the dyed surface strands showing at intervals upon said background.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

RAYMOND B. KALBAOH. 

